Red Scorpionfish

The red scorpionfish lives throughout the Mediterranean and in the Atlantic, from Brittany down to Cape Verde.

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The red scorpionfish is a sedentary fish found anywhere from 15 to 500 m below the surface.

It moved about rocky environments unnoticed thanks to its flawless mimicry and the ribbons of skin adorning its head.

It lies in wait for crustaceans and fish. Scorpionfish are venomous species causing painful stings. They store their venom in glands under the skin at the base of the spines of the dorsal fin. Those spines have a channel that can carry the venom to its victim.

In the Mediterranean, the red scorpionfish breeds from May to August. Its eggs are coated with a gelatinous mucus that allows them to float to the surface.

Popular as an ingredient in bouillabaisse, scorpionfish are caught in the Mediterranean from small trawlers. Their firm white flesh is highly valued.

« Radiant under artificial lighting, the orange-red colour of the scorpionfish is quite hard to see in the depths of the sea where only the colour blue remains. »